Carolyn Kohn: Her son, Brady proved how umbilical cord blood saves lives and she is working to make parents aware of this through The Brady Kohn Foundation she created in his memory
Website(s):
http://www.thebradykohnfoundation.org
Transcript From The Show
Linda: (Narration) Brady was an amazing child he had a way of capturing people’s hearts as soon as he met them. If he was here he would be on your lap, you know giving hugs and kisses. Brady must have learned that from his mom Carolyn Kohn whose kisses are now showered on her 13 month old, Jack.
Carolyn: Jack looks very similar to Brady and has a lot of the same personality traits, He’s really really happy, and we know Brady sent him to us to help in our healing process.
Linda: Your world suddenly changed Sept 2001.
Carolyn: Sept 26th was the day Brady was diagnosed. They found out he had a disease called Aplastic Anemia, it is not genetic, it is environmental and somehow some way he contracted an unknown hepatitis virus.
Linda: (Narration) Aplastic Anemia is a virus that left Brady with no bone marrow and in critical condition. After unsuccessful drug treatments the Kohn’s had one last hope, Brady’s umbilical cord blood they had saved from when he was born.
Linda: What made you think of saving cord blood prior to Brady’s birth?
Carolyn: It was just one of those things that I don’t know it was just God talking to me. That I should do and my husband being adopted we just felt okay and never thinking we would need it never thinking ever I don’t think when I saved it I knew how it could be used.
Linda (Narration) But she found out 2 years later that the stem cells from Brady’s umbilical cord blood could save his life.
Carolyn: At that point they have never used one’s own cord blood in the transplant so they believe Brady was one of the first in the world. The transplant was a success but the toll on Brady’s immune system from prior drug treatment resulted in an infection that he could not fight. Our physician told us another child came in at the age of 3, same disease, parents had the same choice and instead of doing the drug treatment had the transplant and the child survived.
Linda: A life that touches the hearts of others goes on forever.
Carolyn: Well Brady’s heart will definitely go on forever and that’s because of you (thank you) that’s because of your Mom on the Move.
Linda: (Narration) And through the Brady Kohn Foundation that Carolyn and husband Andy created, this Mom on the Move is on a mission to educate parents about cord blood potential with initiative like the little red wagon program targeting doctor’s waiting rooms.
Carolyn: We have collected gently used children’s books and new books and we are fixing a label inside and it tells the story of Brady and tells them what cord blood is what the potential is and to talk to their physicians about the possibility of donating their cord blood It doesn’t impact the baby, the delivery, the mother just don’t throw it away.
Linda: (Narration) The Coriell Institute for Medical Research in Camden is one of 12 public cord blood banks in the country and Carolyn wants to see that number grow. Her foundation has also raised $75,000 for the work of John Wagner, a pioneer in cord blood research.
Linda: John Wagner can take cord blood and coax these cells to become any cell in the human body and in doing that, he can also create and immune system. So imagine if we could protect a patient’s immune system regardless of their disease.
Linda: Did you ever say to yourself, why me?
Carolyn: Oh, everyday every day. I like to think God chose my husband and myself and Brady to tell a story.
Linda: How did you and your husband stay so close together through all of this?
Carolyn: It’s been work. I won’t lie to you. When you lose a child it’s one of the most devastating things that can happen to a marriage, so I think open communication, both of us allowing to grieve they way we need to grieve. I can’t say it enough really having amazing friends Andy and I define family very differently now. Brady shared with all of us the potential of cord blood. He showed us that is does work our lives are richer for having him in our life and we know someday we’ll all be together.
Tips
 |
advertisement |
|
 |
Check out these Mom Space Pages
Meet One of Our Newest Members!
Katherine Colwell
Platte city, MO
I'm a proud wife and mom of two!